Traditionally, delineator anchors are made from metal. With metal anchors, a series of machining, forming or welding operations may need to be performed to complete an assembly, which processes may be costly and labor intensive. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,366, angle irons are positioned and welded together and a drive plate is secured with the help of a threaded element.
Some metal delineator anchors may also require multiple fasteners to assemble and thus are more costly from a manufacturing perspective. The joined areas of these delineator anchors may also be susceptible to failure due to high stresses experienced when the delineator is struck by a vehicle moving at high speeds. Additionally, metal parts are typically heavier than light-weight plastic, and thus cost more to ship.
Another type of delineator in use on the highways is a marker made from wood. Unlike flexible plastic delineators, wood markers do not return to a vertical position when struck by a vehicle, but rather typically are broken. In addition, such delineators are susceptible to splintering and cracking when being installed. Additionally, wood markers may deteriorate over time due to exposure of the elements, such as sun, rain, snow, etc. Wood markers may also be expensive to fabricate, since they require cutting and painting and the attachment of retro reflective material.